Bronze Weapons Of The Qin Terracotta Warriors

Over 40,000 lethal bronze weapons were discovered with thousands of terracotta warriors in the tomb complex of the Qin First Emperor (259-210 BC). This book presents the first systematic and comprehensive study on these weapons to investigate the mass production and labour organisation in early imperial China. The research draws upon extensive measurements, typological analysis and related statistical treatment, as well as a study of the spatial distribution of the bronze weapons. A combination of metrical and spatial data is used to assess the degree of standardisation of the weapons' production, and to evaluate the spatial patterns in the array of the Terracotta Army. Integrating these insights with inscriptions, tool marks, and chemical analysis, this is a study of mass production, the behaviour of craftspeople, and related imperial logistical organisation in the Qin Dynasty.

Over 40,000 lethal bronze weapons were discovered with thousands of terracotta warriors in the tomb complex of the Qin First Emperor (259-210 BC). This book carries out the first systematic and comprehensive study on these weapons to investigate the mass production and labour organisation in early imperial China. The research draws upon extensive measurements, typological analysis and related statistical treatment, as well as a study of the spatial distribution of the bronze weapons. A combination of metrical and spatial data is used to assess the degree of standardisation of the weapons' production, and to evaluate the spatial patterns in the array of the Terracotta Army. This provides further information about the labour organisation behind the production, transportation and placement of weapons as they were moved from the workshop and/or arsenal to the funeral pits. Integrating these insights with inscriptions, tool marks, and chemical analysis, this book fills a gap in the study of mass production, the behaviour of craftspeople, and related imperial logistical organisation in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), marking the most crucial early stage in Chinese political unification.

Alongside the thousands of terracotta warriors discovered in the tomb complex of the first emperor of China, were tens of thousands of bronze weapons, including arrowheads and crossbow triggers, lances, spears, halberds (and the ferrules associated with them), swords and a few other special types. This quantity and quality of bronze weaponry provides an extremely rare opportunity to investigate patterns of standardisation and labour organisation within a single, very large and intentional assemblage as well as to consider the role of bronze production during the Qin period (325-206 BC) which marks perhaps the most crucial early stage in Chinese political unification. This thesis draws upon extensive measurements, typological analysis and related statistical treatment, as well as a study of the spatial distribution of those bronze weapons found in the most extensively excavated part of the tomb complex (the five easternmost trenches in Pit 1). Metric data and statistical assessment of inter- and intra-group variation (e.g. coefficients of variation) suggest interesting patterns with regard to relative degrees of standardisation. A combination of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and point pattern analysis are used to assess formally any spatial patterning in the weapons and their analytical attributes, which then also provides further information about the labour organisation behind the production, transportation and placement of weapons as they were moved from the workshop and/or arsenal to the funeral pits. Combining these insights with those obtained from inscriptions found on some of the weapons and from ancient documents, this project investigates what technologies and crafting behaviour affected weapons production and labour organisation in a centralised imperial system. This research project fills a gap in the study of mass production, the behaviour of craftspeople and related logistical organisation in ancient China and to provide empirical data by analysing systematically on the types, dimensions and spatial patterns of Qin bronze weapons in the Emperor Qin Shihuang's tomb complex.

The rise of Qin and the military conquest of the warring states -- The First Emperor and the Qin empire -- Imperial tours and mountain inscriptions -- The First Emperor's tomb: the afterlife universe -- A two-thousand-year-old underground empire.

"Provides fascinating and highly-detailed photographs from the terracotta army site in Xi'an. Discusses significance of warrior dress, stance, and layout adjacent to the tomb itself. Hundreds of full-color photos. One of the best books available on the terracotta warriors."

A leading historical scholar offers the definitive account of the strategies and technology that shaped the earliest Chinese dynasties--from walled defenses to chariot-driven warriors.

"Included in this book are one hundred and thirty carefully-selected photographs with captions, through which we hope we can present a comprehensive and systematic picture of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses"--Taken from foreword

Describes the Chinese Bronze Age, including the development of the Chinese state, writing, religion and architecture.

"With contributions from leading scholars, this fully illustrated catalogue represents a panoramic view of Qin artistic, military, and administrative achievements under the powerful First Emperor, who unified China in 221 BCE. In addition, it examines the period of Chinese history preceding the emperor's reign and the role of earlier Qin rulers in the evolution of a small state into a superpower."--Provided by publisher.